Category Archives: Technology

Rock-climb without fear. Play a symphony in your head. See radar with superhuman vision. Discover the nature of consciousness. Cure blindness, paralysis, deafness, and mental illness. Those are just a few of the applications that Elon Musk and employees at his four-year-old neuroscience company Neuralink believe electronic brain-computer interfaces will one day bring about.

None of these advances are close at hand, and some are unlikely to ever come about. But in a product update streamed over YouTube on Friday, Musk, also the founder of SpaceX and Tesla Motors, joined staffers wearing black masks to discuss the companys work toward an affordable, reliable brain implant that Musk believes billions of consumers will clamor for in the future.

In a lot of ways, Musk said, Its kind of like a Fitbit in your skull, with tiny wires.

Although the online event was described as a product demonstration, there is as yet nothing that anyone can buy or use from Neuralink. (This is for the best, since most of the companys medical claims remain highly speculative.) It is, however, engineering a super-dense electrode technology that is being tested on animals.

Neuralink isnt the first to believe that brain implants could extend or restore human capabilities. Researchers began placing probes in the brains of paralyzed people in the late 1990s in order toshow that signals could let them move robot arms or computer cursors. And mice with visual implants really can perceive infrared rays.

Building on that work, Neuralink says it hopes to further develop such brain-computer interfaces (or BCIs) to the point where one can be installed in a doctors office in under an hour. This actually does work, Musk said of people who have controlled computers with brain signals. Its just not something the average person can use effectively.

Throughout the event, Musk deftly avoided giving timelines or committing to schedules on questions such as when Neuralinks system might be tested in human subjects.

As yet, four years after its formation, Neuralink has provided no evidence that it can (or has even tried to) treat depression, insomnia, or a dozen other diseases that Musk mentioned in a slide. One difficulty ahead of the company is perfecting microwires that can survive the corrosive context of a living brain for a decade. That problem alone could take years to solve.

The primary objective of the streamed demo, instead, was to stir excitement, recruit engineers to the company (which already employs about 100 people), and build the kind of fan base that has cheered on Musks other ventures and has helped propel the gravity-defying stock price of electric-car maker Tesla.

In tweets leading up to the event, Musk had promised fans a mind-blowing demonstration of neurons firing inside a living brainthough he didnt say of what species. Minutes into the livestream, assistants drew a black curtain to reveal three small pigs in fenced enclosures; these were the subjects of the companys implant experiments.

The brain of one pig contained an implant, and hidden speakers briefly chimed out ringtones that Musk said were recordings of the animals neurons firing in real time. For those awaiting the matrix in the matrix, as Musk had hinted on Twitter, the cute-animal interlude was not exactly what they hoped for. To neuroscientists, it was nothing new; in their labs the buzz and crackle of electrical impulses recorded from animal brains (and some human ones) has been heard for decades.

A year ago, Neuralink presented a sewing-machine robot able to plunge a thousand ultra-fine electrodes into a rodents brain. These probes are what measure the electrical signals emitted by neurons; the speed and patterns of those signals are ultimately a basis for movement, thoughts, and recall of memories.

WOKE STUDIO

In the new livestream, Musk appeared beside an updated prototype of the sewing robot encased within a smooth, white plastic helmet. Into such surgical headgear, Musk believes, billions of consumers will one day willingly place their heads, submitting as an automated saw carves out a circle of bone and a robot threads electronics into their brains.

The futuristic casing was created by the industrial design firm Woke Studio, in Vancouver. Its lead designer, Afshin Mehin, says he strived to make something clean, modern, but still friendly-feeling for what would be voluntary brain surgery with inevitable risks.

To neuroscientists, the most intriguing development shown Friday may have been what Musk called the link, a silver-dollar-sized disk containing computer chips, which compresses and then wirelessly transmits signals recorded from the electrodes. The link is about as thick as the human skull, and Musk said it could plop neatly onto the surface of the brain through a drill hole that could then be sealed with superglue.

I could have a Neuralink right now and you wouldnt know it, Musk said.

The link can be charged wirelessly via an induction coil, and Musk suggested that people in the future would plug in before they go to sleep to power up their implants. He thinks an implant also needs to be easy to install and remove, so that people can get new ones as technology improves. You wouldnt want to be stuck with version 1.0 of a brain implant forever. Outdated neural hardware left behind in peoples bodies is a real problem already encountered by research subjects.

The implant Neuralink is testing on its pigs has 1,000 channels and is likely to read from a similar number of neurons. Musk says his goal to increase that by a factor of 100, then 1,000, then, 10,000 to read more completely from the brain.

Such exponential goals for the technology dont necessarily address specific medical needs. Although Musk claims implants could solve paralysis, blindness, hearing, as often what is missing isnt 10 times as many electrodes, but scientific knowledge about what electrochemical imbalance creates, say, depression in the first place.

Despite the long list of medical applications Musk presented, Neuralink didnt show its ready to commit to any one of them. During the event, the company did not disclose plans to start a clinical trial, a surprise to those who believed that would be its next logical step.

A neurosurgeon who works with the company, Matthew MacDougall, did say the company was considering trying the implant on paralyzed peoplefor instance, to allow them to type on a computer, or form words. Musk went further: I think long-term you can restore someone full body motion.

It is unclear how serious the company is about treating disease at all. Musk continually drifted away from medicine and back to a much more futuristic general population device, which he called the companys overall aim. He believes that people should connect directly to computers in order to keep pace with artificial intelligence.

On a species level, its important to figure out how we coexist with advanced AI, achieving some AI symbiosis, he said, such that the future of world is controlled by the combined will of the people of the earth. That might be the most important thing that a device like this achieves.

How brain implants would bring about such a collective world electronic mind, Musk did not say. Maybe in the next update.

Read the rest here:

Elon Musks Neuralink is neuroscience theater - MIT Technology Review

SINGAPORE, Aug. 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Genesis MedTech International has completed the acquisition of the Chocolate Touch drug-coated balloon (DCB), a drug-device technology asset from TriReme Medical LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore-listed QT Vascular Ltd, which engages in the design, assembly, and distribution of advanced therapeutic solutions for the minimally invasive treatment of complex vascular diseases.

This includes its IP licence for worldwide design, engineering, manufacturing, rights, claims, use, marketing, sale and distribution for use in the treatment, prevention, diagnosis or management of peripheral vascular diseases.

THE FUTURE STANDARD FOR SUPERFICIAL FEMORAL ARTERY (SFA) TREATMENT

The Chocolate Touch drug-coated balloon is the world's first balloon catheter that combines therapeutic agent delivery with the next generation of controlled dilation angioplasty technique, for the treatment of peripheral vascular diseases. It is designed with the aim to provide patients suffering from peripheral vascular disease with a safer and more effective treatment than traditional balloon angioplasty.

Based on controlled dilation and intelligent stress relief designs, Chocolate Touch achieves higher vessel patency by reducing shear stresses on vessel walls. Higher patency rates and outstanding reduction in bailout standing rates corroborates with positive physician feedback on the use of Chocolate Touch resulting in less trauma to vessels.

Warren Wang, Chairman and CEO of Genesis MedTech International said, "We are very excited to be able to bring this product into our list of growing innovative product portfolio as we believe DCBs such as Chocolate Touch will become the future standard for SFA treatment. This marks our first foray into the peripheral interventional space. To do so with a world-class innovation underlines our commitment to bring the best of MedTech from every corner of the globe through our vertically integrated model to make quality healthcare more affordable and accessible for everyone."

The global DCB market is expected to reach revenues of more than US$1 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of around 13% during 2018-2025 The current global DCB market is estimated at approximately US$470M in 2019. Amongst which, the China DCB market is currently sized at US$50M. Driven by huge unmet needs of peripheral artery disease patients, the China market is expected to grow at 22% CAGR in the next 5 years.

Eitan Konstantino, CEO of QT Vascular said, "I'm impressed with Genesis' vision and the scale of execution. Partnering with Genesis gives our shareholders the confidence that Chocolate Touch will be approved and launched in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific markets, benefiting patients on a global scale."

MAKING GLOBAL ACCESSIBILITY POSSIBLE

As of 1 July 2020, 333 patients have been enrolled in the Chocolate Touch pivotal study at a total of 34 sites in the US, Europe and New Zealand.

Through its subsidiary, G Vascular Pte Ltd, Genesis Medtech will bring Chocolate Touch to the US and various international markets by completing the US Investigational Device Exemption pivotal clinical study, product development, manufacturing processes and obtain Premarket Approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.

ABOUT GENESIS MEDTECH GROUP

Genesis MedTech Group is a medical device company headquartered in Singapore. Founded by a group of professionals and entrepreneurs with MedTech experience globally and in Asia, the company's product portfolio focuses on value segment multi-therapy medical device products for emerging markets with sales and distribution through its established commercial network. Genesis MedTech Group covers the entire industry value chain of research and development, production, quality management, supply chain, marketing, and sales.

For more information, visithttp://www.genesismedtech.com.

About QT Vascular Ltd.(SGX Stock code: 5I0)

QT Vascular Ltd.together with its subsidiaries is a company in the development and commercialization of next generation minimally invasiveproducts for the treatment of complex vascular disease. QT Vascular works closely withleading physicians and scientists from around the world to create differentiated devices that improve procedural and clinical outcomes.

About PVD*

Impacting 200 million patients worldwide, peripheral vascular disease (PVD), also called peripheral arterial disease, is a slow and progressive circulation disorder, caused by narrowing, blockage, or spasms in a blood vessel. Arteries in the legs andfeet are most commonly affected. Complications of PVD may include amputation (loss of a limb), poor wound healing, restricted mobility due to pain or discomfort, severe pain in the affected extremity, or stroke (3 times more likely in people with PVD).

SOURCE Genesis MedTech Group

http://www.genesismedtech.com

Read more from the original source:

Genesis MedTech Acquires World-first Drug-coated Balloon Technology with Next-generation Angioplasty Architecture for the Treatment of Peripheral...

The Division of Forestry office in Haines has many old aerial photographs of the state forest and a stereoscope for viewing them. (Photo by Henry Leasia)

Earlier this summer the Alaska Division of Forestry contracted a company to collect digital images of the Chilkat Valley from a plane. The aerial photos will be used alongside recent laser scans of the valley to provide information about the terrain and vegetation of the Haines State Forest. The new geographic data collection is the latest advancement in a long history of aerial photography in Haines.

The Alaska Division of Forestry has collected numerous aerial photos of the Chilkat Valley over the years. The oldest dates back to 1929. The black and white images show the contours of rivers, mountains and trees in vivid detail.

Haines State Forester Greg Palmieri says before advances in digital technology, natural resource managers would place these photos beneath a stereoscope, a device that combines two images to create the illusion of depth.

So when you look at stereo you put these two photos together in this manner and you get three dimensional relief from the two dimensional image. So I can see terrain, Palmieri says. Prior to LIDAR this was the most accurate way we could have from the office to identify the terrain and potential obstacles towards development.

LIDAR stands for light detection and ranging. Its a way to collect data about topography. To collect the data, a plane flies over an area with a LIDAR scanner that bounces light off of the terrain below. Differences in the return times and wavelengths of the light can then be used to make 3-D images.

The state paid for a LIDAR scan of the Chilkat Valley last year. Palmieri says the technology provides useful information for foresters.

The thing that it does well is measuring not only the height of the ground to sub-foot intervals, but also the height of vegetation, Palmieri says.

These precise measurements allow foresters to determine things like the height of the brush compared to the height of the trees over a large swath of land.

The data collected through LIDAR can also be used with software to develop hydrology models.

If you have very detailed topography of an area you might be able to have a very good comprehensive understanding of surface water activity. That can potentially, with some research, lead to a good understanding of groundwater flow, Palmieri says.

The LIDAR data for the Haines State Forest will be used alongside digital images collected from a plane earlier this summer.

The digital images might not look as clear as the analog images of old. Palmieri says that digital photos of a large section of land dont have the same quality resolution as analog aerial photos. However, digital images provide more information.

It may not have this resolution, but it also provides other bands. It provides four bands of data. It gives me the near infrared as well and allows me to use the computer software thats becoming more and more robust so that I can analyze that image in a number of different ways, Palmieri says. I cant do that with this black and white image.

LIDAR data for a portion of the Chilkat Valley is available online at elevation.alaska.gov. The multispectral aerial images will be available online soon.

Continued here:

Advances in technology provide new data on the topography of the Haines State Forest - KHNS Radio

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market by Technology (Mass Encoding, RFID, Tamper Evidence, Hologram, Forensic Markers), End-use Industry, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Market for Anti-Counterfeit Packaging is Projected to Grow from USD 106.3 Billion in 2020 to Reach USD 188.2 Billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 12.09%.

Growing demand from the pharmaceutical & healthcare sector to drive the market for anti-counterfeit packaging.

The anti-counterfeit packaging market is driven by factors such as rise in counterfeit products in the market, increasing brand awareness, awareness among buyers about product information, the growing e-commerce industry, developments in printing technologies, and concerns regarding the impact of counterfeit packaging on the brand image of products. The growing pharmaceutical & healthcare sector is projected to be the fastest-growing end-use sector in the next five years.

Due to stringent laws & regulations enacted by the government and increasing importance given to package security by manufacturers, the demand for anti-counterfeit packaging technologies is projected to grow in this sector. Emerging markets, such as the Asia-Pacific region, have contributed to an increase in the application of anti-counterfeit packaging in packaging products. The high set-up costs are the major restraint for the anti-counterfeit packaging industry.

RFID technology of the technology segment projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The RFID technology of the technology segment is projected to grow at the highest rate between 2020 and 2025. The RFID technology reads and captures information stored on the tag attached to the product. RFID is used extensively in the packaging industry as they include tags, readers, and software services. By using tags and readers, products can be traced in seconds; this helps improve and track the supply chain process from production through distribution and retailing.

In terms of both value and volume, the Asia Pacific anti-counterfeit packaging market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

In terms of value and volume, the Asia Pacific region is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025 due to the strong demand from countries such as China, India, and Japan. Factors, including an increase in the demand for authentic products, awareness of buyers regarding product information, developments in packaging technologies, and increasing counterfeiting activities, are expected to drive the market for anti-counterfeit packaging market in the Asia Pacific region.

Research Coverage

The market study covers the anti-counterfeit packaging market across various segments. It aims at estimating the market size and the growth potential of this market across different segments based on technology, end-use industry, and region. The study also includes an in-depth competitive analysis of key players in the market, along with their company profiles, key observations related to their products and business offerings, recent developments undertaken by them, and key growth strategies adopted by them to enhance their position in the anti-counterfeit packaging market.

The global market for anti-counterfeit packaging is dominated by the key players of the packaging industry that are mainly dealing with anti-counterfeiting, such as CCL Industries Inc. (Canada), Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (US), Avery Dennison Corporation (US), SICPA Holding SA (Switzerland), 3M Company (US), DuPont (US), and Zebra Technologies Corporation (US).

Key Topics Covered

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights

4.1 Developed Economies to Witness Higher Demand for Anti-Counterfeit Packaging

4.2 Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by Technology

4.3 Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by End-use Industry

4.4 Apac Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by End-use Industry

4.5 Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by Key Countries

5 Market Overview

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Market Dynamics

5.2.1 Drivers

5.2.1.1 Laws & Regulations Enforced by Governments

5.2.1.2 Increase in the Focus of Manufacturers on Brand Protection

5.2.1.3 Track & Trace Technology to Maintain an Efficient Supply Chain

5.2.1.4 Growth of the Parent Industry

5.2.2 Restraints

5.2.2.1 Existence of Technologies that are Non-Deterrent to Counterfeiters

5.2.2.2 Huge Setup Cost

5.2.3 Opportunities

5.2.3.1 Growing Demand from Emerging Economies

5.2.3.2 Remote Authentication of Products

5.2.4 Challenges

5.2.4.1 Spreading Awareness Regarding Anti-Counterfeit Technologies for Brand Protection

5.2.4.2 High R&D Investment

5.3 Value Chain

5.4 YC, YCC Shift

6 Impact of COVID-19 on Packaging Industry

6.1 Introduction

6.2 COVID-19 Forecasting, by Technology

6.3 COVID-19 Forecasting, by Application

6.4 Gainers, by Top End-use Industries

6.4.1 Healthcare

6.4.2 Food & Beverage

6.4.3 Personal Care

6.5 Losers, by Top End-use Industries

6.5.1 Luxury Goods

6.5.2 Electrical & Electronics

6.6 Gainers, by Top Technologies

6.6.1 Aseptic Packaging

6.6.2 Intelligent/Smart Packaging

6.7 Losers, by Top Technologies

6.7.1 Non-Automated Technology

6.7.2 Packaging Robots and Equipment for Bulk Packaging

7 Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by Technology

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Mass Encoding

7.3 RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)

7.4 Holograms

7.5 Forensic Markers

7.6 Tamper-Evident Technology

7.7 Others

8 Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by End-use Industry

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Food & Beverage

8.3 Pharmaceutical

8.4 Apparel & Footwear

8.5 Automotive

8.6 Cosmetics & Personal Care

8.7 Electrical & Electronics

8.8 Luxury Goods

8.9 Others

9 Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market, by Region

9.1 Introduction

9.2 North America

9.3 Europe

9.4 APAC

9.5 Middle East & Africa (MEA)

9.6 South America

10 Competitive Landscape

10.1 Overview

10.2 Competitive Leadership Mapping

10.2.1 Star Leaders

10.2.2 Innovators

10.2.3 Pervasive

10.2.4 Emerging Companies

10.3 Strength of Product Portfolio

10.4 Business Strategy Excellence

10.5 Market Share Analysis

10.6 Competitive Scenario

10.6.1 Acquisition

10.6.2 Expansion

10.6.3 New Product Development

11 Company Profiles

11.1 Avery Dennison Corporation

11.2 CCL Industries Inc.

Read more:

Global Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market by Technology, End-use Industry and Region - Forecast to 2025 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

Bumble saw a nearly 70% increase in video calls in early May compared to the number of video calls made in mid-March, which is when a state of emergency was declared in the United States.

For Natalie Saenz, 22, and Daniil Khludov, 24, a stroll around the park together isnt an option and finding ways to connect virtually has been a necessity.

The couple met at Western Nebraska Community College, where Khludov studied as an international exchange student from Russia. Both moved to Lincoln after earning their associate degrees in 2018, and Khludov moved to Canada in January. Saenz visited him there in February for their two-year anniversary, but the couple havent seen in each other in person since.

The two talk via FaceTime every night, Saenz said. They also use technology like Netflix Party, which lets users stream shows with friends online, and they surprise one another by sending food through delivery apps.

Since the borders are closed and the pandemic is not decreasing, we have no idea when well see each other, Saenz said.

The effort made by Saenz and Khludov to stay connected is what Toller calls relational maintenance.

Relationships begin, and inevitably they end, either in a breakup, divorce or death, Toller said.

Read more from the original source:

Technology is helping Omahans 'swipe right' on love in a time of social distancing - Omaha World-Herald

STEVE HOLBERT

Former Concordian Steve Holbert has never been one to back down from a challenge. Paralyzed after a motorcycle accident, Holbert challenged himself and his stricken body to do whatever it took to establish a new normalcy in his life.Holbert, a military veteran, became one of the first people in the United States to use a robotic exoskeleton to not only stand from his wheelchair, but also walk.Being at the forefront of cutting-edge technology is the reason why Holbert was invited to the Republican National Convention (RNC), and had the opportunity to meet President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.SoldierStrong is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of America's heroes. The company donates revolutionary medical technologies to Veteran Administration medical centers and other hospitals across the country to help injured veterans take their next steps forward. Exoskeleton suits, manufactured by Indego, help injured and paralyzed veterans regain their ability to stand and walk again."There are a lot of health benefits to being able to stand up again, let alone walk," said Holbert, whose paralysis is chest high, though he has the use of his arms and shoulders. "It helps your bones, your intestines, your bladder, your entire cardiovascular system. It also has psychological benefits. You just feel a little better about yourself."Being able to do something that so many of us take for granted - like standing upright - means a lot to someone who is paralyzed. "When you're in a wheelchair, you're always butt-level," Holbert said. "When you enter a room you're always craning your neck to talk to people, or people always lean down to talk to you. It's a huge mental boost to be able to stand at the height you were at before you were paralyzed."The Indego exoskeleton suit has a hip unit that is strapped around the waist and lower back, as well as thigh units and lower leg units. Holbert syncs the device to his iPhone."You power the unit on, and when you're ready to stand you lean forward, and the device lifts you into a standing position."Just balancing in the unit, let alone walking, is an undertaking and requires a lot of practice. "The only way to balance is with my shoulders. It's kind of like a teeter-totter. When you're ready to walk you lean forward slightly and it starts walking. When you want to stop, you lean back. You use whatever core muscles you have to help make adjustments."Walking requires an assistant, but Holbert has reached the point where he goes on hour-long walks, making laps in his driveway. "The battery is good for about one-to-two hours, depending on your stride length."How did all of that lead to an invitation to the RNC?"Indego, the company that made my robot legs, contacted me to see if I wanted to participate in the event. SoldierStrong had donated much of the equipment for paralyzed veterans. I just happened to be one of the ones that use an exoskeleton and got invited."Holbert and four other paralyzed veterans with exoskeletons were invited to the RNC, and they were to stand in unison when the national anthem was sung at the end of day three. "They informed us that when Trace Adkins walked up on stage, that would be our cue to stand up before he started singing," Holbert said. "Well, he walked up and started singing immediately before we even had a chance to stand. So in my rush to stand up I must not have completed the required steps to activate the robot. When I tried to stand up nothing happened. So I just lifted myself up with my arms on the walker. Now my legs were just hanging there in the bent position and my wife was sort of freaking out."Holbert's wife helped him back into his wheelchair; he reset the robot and then stood up correctly. "I pulled off my hat and put my hand over my heart and looked to the stage to see the President staring at me. I was thinking: holy crap, I had one simple job to do, and I flubbed it up!"After the song was over Holbert and the other paralyzed veterans used their exoskeletons to walk up to the barrier separating the crowd from President Trump and Vice President Pence. "I had brought along a couple of challenge coins from our Texas PVA (Paralyzed Veterans of America) Chapter. I held one out to President Trump, but one of the Secret Service agents was shaking his head at me. Then Vice President Pence walked up, took the coin and shook my hand. I was so flabbergasted that I have no idea what he even said to me."After Holbert returned to his home in Texas he sent thank you notes to the representatives of both SoldierStrong and Indego. "I went thinking it would be cool to know that I got to see the Vice President in person and possibly even the President. When Trace Adkins started singing the National Anthem, I dont think Ive ever felt the desire to stand up and walk more fiercely than right then in front of the President of the United States of America. I guess I feel like it was my duty to stand up, to hopefully show other paralyzed veterans that you can stand up and be proud of yourself and your country."

Link:

Being on forefront of technology to help wounded veterans earns Holbert invitation to Republican National Convention - Blade Empire

MVRDV and Delft University of Technology Release "Le Grand Puzzle", an Urban Study of Marseille in the South of France

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Whatsapp

Mail

Or

MVRDV and The Why Factory (Delft University of Technology) revealed Le Grand Puzzle, a book that holds ambitious ideas for Marseille, in the south of France. In fact, the study, made from 2018 to the start of 2020, proposes a methodology, an agenda, and an analysis to portray todays Marseille.

+ 12

The result of intensive research by an international team of architects and urbanists from MVRDV and The Why Factory (Delft University of Technology), in collaboration with Manifesta 13 and representatives of both Marseille institutions and universities, the book can be perceived as a manifesto for the multicultural city. Winy Maas, the co-founder of MVRDV and director of The Why Factory (Delft University of Technology), stated that Le Grand Puzzle shows the incredible urban possibilities and impossibilities of Marseille, through conversations, analyses, maps and ideas [] It forms an urban portrait of Marseille; a constructive mirror to Marseille.

Commissioned as a foundational base of and by Manifesta 13, the book project represents an alternative model of creative mediation that serves both as a blueprint for Marseille to plan its future and as a research framework to ensure that Manifesta 13 has a long-lasting impact on the city and its citizens to come. Launched on August 29, 2020, the study extracted first a theoretical framework for the future city from the global, European, and local agendas. With different perspectives, the research also highlights urban interventions imagined by students of art, architecture, and urbanism, portraying a post-COVID-19 city.

Marseille is a city of flux, transit, and trade. It responds to a diversity of contradictory connotations. So it offers a rare prism we can use to investigate multiple questions that are crucial to Europes future and current crises. Our research was an exciting challenge and a complex journey. This research is a base to trigger discussions on how we want to live and to reflect on ideas about how to transform the city. -- Winy Maas, co-founder of MVRDV and director of The Why Factory.

Le Grand Puzzle also proposes an immediate program called Le Tour de Tous les Possibles, an alternative form of civic participation, bringing together citizens from across Marseille, connecting diverse groups of participants from different social and cultural backgrounds and generations, such as activists and representatives of civil society.

Aiming to investigate collaborative methods of work to create new alliances and experiment with alternative models of co-existence, while exploring the potential challenges of Marseilles communal future, the initiative held already 22 workshops, with 10 to come, in order to generate a real functioning Citizen Council called Assemblee de Tous les Possible. This group of 101 Citizens will advise the Mayor of Marseille and the City Council of Marseille.

Read the rest here:

MVRDV and Delft University of Technology Release "Le Grand Puzzle", an Urban Study of Marseille in the South of France - ArchDaily

In June, the U.S. Commerce Department announced changes to restrictions imposed last year on Chinese telecom giant Huawei to ensure that American companies and organizations are not left out of international standards development activities for 5G and other technical challenges.

Had the U.S. not reversed its isolationist course, Americans would have been hamstrung internationally at a time when U.S. leadership is critically needed. But it begs the question: Why did the administration implement restrictions in the first place?

A little over a year ago, the Department of Commerces Bureau of Industry and Business (BIS) hastily added Huawei to the Entities List, which restricted American companies from doing business with Huawei. This created another problem: It compelled American engineers to disengage from international standards development activities for fear of running afoul of the BIS restrictions. In their absence, Huawei and non-U.S. companies, not subject to the same limits, filled the influence vacuum.

The BIS decision only exacerbated an atrophying of U.S. leadership in standards activity. A 2018 report prepared for the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission on the internet of things noted that, in the global standards race, U.S. interests are missing or under-represented in key international standardization organizations. At the International Standardization Organization, the U.S. ranks 16th in technical committee participation, while China ranks 4th. These examples are more the norm than the exception in international standards bodies.

Historically, the U.S. government has never been the most committed to international standards development. U.S. companies have often led to technological development. This allowed American companies, backed by modest governmental support, to advance American standards interests even without full-throated participation in international standards activities. But the dominance of the American industry is weakening amid the rise of international competition hungry to take advantage of a distracted America, flat-footed and mired in partisan political infighting.

While America withdraws, CNBC reports China is doubling down on their engagement, aiming to influence the standards for the next wave of technologies from telecommunications to artificial intelligence through an ambitious 15-year blueprint that will lay out its plans that could have wide-ranging implications for the power Beijing wields on the global stage. Through a Standards 2035 initiative to complement its highly effective China 2025 initiative, China is designing a playbook to assert leadership in technology R&D and production.

China is actively encouraging standards development activities through legal and policy changes and aggressive standard-setting activities. Chinas steps will advance its economic transformation with a shift from low value-add production to sophisticated technological products and services coming from its supply chain lines.

Chinas attention is a foil for Americas lack of focus. The U.S. for many years now has had no meaningful manufacturing strategy nor a strategy to preserve U.S. technological leadership. American leadership cannot be demonstrated behind high-walls, by scapegoating others, or with congratulatory nods to past success.

The welcomed BIS regulatory reversal comes at a time when standard-setting can be more beneficial than ever. A 2014 report by the National Institute on Standards and Technology observed that [s]tandards are more important today than ever before Nations that actively participate in developing international standards may be able to influence the provisions to favor their products or those that they prefer. Countries should use every lever at their disposal to exert more engagement withand therefore influence overglobal standards development. Failing to do so impoverishes not only their international objectives but their domestic companies who are best positioned to take advantage of them.

The BIS restrictions are indicative of a fear that seems to grip U.S. economic goals of late. The United States has been retreating from the global marketplace. Under the guise of America First, the U.S. is withdrawing from the kinds of international engagement that made the United States the worlds largest economy while also increasing economic prosperity globally.

The U.S. is now facing a familiar crossroads: will it reach into the future or cling to the past? While reaching into the future will require a greater commitment to international engagement than we are now espousing, it brings with it an incredible opportunity to shape positive change and advance American business interests. Rather than cede the field to China or any other country, America should seize the mantle of leadership, and help shape the future of global technology standards.

John Mitchell is president and chief executive officer of IPC, a global trade association representing the electronics manufacturing industry.

Read the original:

The World Needs American Leadership in Setting the Technological Standards of the Future - Nextgov

CoilPod LLC Announces Allowance of Patent on Technology to Detect Coil Fouling in Refrigeration Units | 2020-08-31 | ACHR News This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more. This Website Uses CookiesBy closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn MoreThis website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.

View original post here:

CoilPod LLC Announces Allowance of Patent on Technology to Detect Coil Fouling in Refrigeration Units - ACHR NEWS

The legal issues underlying worker misclassification claims are hardly new. Worker wage claims asserting misclassification of a workers status under state and federal law have been around for decades. Similarly, state claims seeking unemployment and certain tax contributions from employers have been increasing for many years. But despite these long-standing trends, the number of workers calling themselves independent contractors, gig workers or freelancers has dramatically increased for many years. Such growth can in part be explained by the desire to limit contributions towards benefit payments and social security contributions, but that is not the entire story. Many workers want the freedom and independence that such jobs bring, including flexible work schedules and other non-traditional benefits.

By way of background, according to one recent study by Paychex, the trend towards independent contractors peaked in 2017 with an 11% percent increase, year over year, which decreased to a 5% percent increase, year over year, in 2018. But this rate is still much greater than hiring by small business employers[1] in general, which has been tracking at about 1% per year, since 2013.

With respect to gig workers loosely defined as groups of employees who work for companies in the new technology-based economy millions have been added to the payrolls of technology companies over the last decade. Also, so-called freelancers are increasing in a number of industries, including graphic arts, literary works and IT-related fields, among others. In fact, McKinsey found that between 20-30% of the entire European and North American workforces are classified as independent workers. In short, over the last decade, there has been a dramatic shift in the workplace towards contracting with independent workers despite the ongoing legal misclassification risks associated with this trend.

These conflicting trends are clearly on display in a recent California Superior Court decision, California v. Uber and Lyft, et al. (the Uber decision). In the Uber decision, the trial court ruled on a motion to enjoin Uber and Lyft from characterizing their drivers as independent contractors under Californias newly enacted legislative framework to address worker status (AB 5). The court ruled that because it was unlikely that either Uber or Lyft would prevail, they were enjoined and ordered to treat their drivers as employees.

Under AB 5, Californias legislature codified its version of the ABC Test. Under this test, companies must show, in order to avoid the presumption that its workers are employees, that all three prongs of the test are met:

In reviewing these prongs, the court had little trouble enjoining Uber and Lyft, ruling that its this simple: [the] drivers do not perform work that is outside the usual course of [Defendants] business. As a result, Uber and Lyft failed, according to the court, to prove prong B, and for the purposes of the motion, its workers were deemed employees.

It would seem likely that under this rationale many gig companies would not be able to satisfy this prong of the ABC Test. Importantly, since roughly 33 states use some variation of the ABC Test, the Uber decision will have great significance to employers throughout the country and not just California.

In response to the courts injunction, on August 10, 2020, Uber and Lyft advised that they may each stop doing business in California and immediately appealed seeking a stay of the trial courts injunction which was granted, with an oral argument date set for October 13. Interestingly, Uber and Lyft must put together a plan of compliance by early September in case the preliminary injunction is affirmed on appeal and, as discussed below, Proposition 22 fails to pass.

As alluded to, this issue may be mooted by the upcoming November election in California. This is because thousands of California citizens petitioned for a public referendum Proposition 22 to be placed on the ballot seeking to undue AB 5.

Proposition 22 would consider app-based drivers to be independent contractors and not employees or agents. Therefore, the ballot measure would overrideAB 5 (signed in September 2019) on the question of whether app-based drivers are employees or independent contractors.

The ballot initiative defines app-based driversas workers who (a) provide delivery services on an on-demand basis through a businesss online-enabled application or platform or (b) use a personal vehicle to provide pre-arranged transportation services for compensation via a businesss online-enabled application or platform.Examples of companies that hire app-based drivers include Uber, Lyft and DoorDash, among many others. Notably, the ballot measure would not affect how AB 5 is applied to other types of workers.

If passed by Californias voters in November, some gig employers could avoid hundreds of millions of dollars in future liability associated with the misclassification issue. In short, it appears that many gig workers do not want to change their status, contrary to certain viewpoints that they are being taken advantage of by their employers. There is no doubt that companies will be closely watching this outcome as it could mark the beginning of a nationwide drive to blunt the force of the ABC Test.

At the same time, artificial intelligence (AI) may resolve this issue in another way: if driverless vehicles are accepted and implemented in California, there may be no workers to classify. In fact, in February, California agreed that Uber could begin re-testing its driverless vehicles on public roads. But the timeline is unclear as to when such a change would occur.

In the meantime, however, there is almost certainly going to be state-by-state battles over misclassification of workers and the Uber decision may mark the beginning of a long battle over tax revenue as well. The COVID-19 pandemic has created massive budget shortfalls for many states, namely the loss of tens of billions of dollars of tax revenue from business closures and a massive reduction in sales tax revenue. At the same time, and depending on whose numbers that you want to use, states (and the federal government) are losing billions of dollars in tax revenue due to worker misclassification. It would seem likely, therefore, that both the federal government (depending on the election outcome) and a majority of the states (given their depleted tax revenue base and unemployment funds) will aggressively enforce misclassification rules under the ABC Test. If so, this could be a multi-billion dollar liability for employers.

In the final analysis, the Uber decision may create legislative responses on how to deal with this growing class of workers in an attempt to harmonize the new gig workforce and the needs of business with the existing legal classification structures that largely prevent such changes with the attendant loss of tax revenue. In short, at least in the near-term, the path forward will be a rocky one.

It is also important to recognize that organized labor has an interest in this outcome, as the re-classification of millions of workers from independent contractor status to employee status would potentially provide millions of new employees to organize since the National Labor Relations Act does not apply to independent contractors, only employees. As mentioned above, it may also accelerate the use of AI.

The Uber decision is likely to be the first battle of what will likely be a long and drawn out affair between both sides of this issue. Potentially, states will likely take a more aggressive approach in the near-term, while workers and gig employers may indeed continue to seek political and legislative solutions. At the same time, AI may well change the workplace much faster than most people think given the extensive financial incentives to move in this direction given the economic fallout from the pandemic. Stay tuned.

[1] Small business employers are defined as an employer with less than 50 employees.

[View source.]

Here is the original post:

Is the Gig Up? Worker Misclassification in the Technology Age - JD Supra